


Meeting Your Match

by Jestana



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/F, Soulmates, sort of soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-08-09 03:04:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16441784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jestana/pseuds/Jestana
Summary: Terry Ryder chose to leave the Milky Way with her dad and brother because she had nothing and no one left there. Maybe in Andromeda, she'll start to see colors.





	Meeting Your Match

**Author's Note:**

> In this 'verse, humans don't see colors until they meet a potential match and even then it's only one or two colors. As they get to know their potential match, they start to see more and more colors. If their match dies before they do, they stop seeing colors.

In the bustle of boarding the Tempest and following Vetra on a lightning-fast tour of the ship, Terry didn't notice any changes at first. Her primary focus was on memorizing the layout of the ship and trying to match names to faces. Once they were on their way to Eos, Terry finally took in her surroundings properly. She gasped in shock when she realized that not everything was in shades of gray anymore. "Is something wrong, Terry?"

"I-- I'm fine, Cora," Terry replied quickly, noticing that the sleeves of Cora and Liam's shirts were the new color. "Just-- a lot to take in."

Cora squeezed her arm gently. "Perhaps you should lay down? You didn't rest enough on the trip to the Nexus according to Lexi and you didn't get a chance to rest there, either."

"I-- yeah, I'll do that." Nodding, Terry left the bridge and climbed down the ladder so she could enter her quarters. The new color was everywhere, even on her shirt. Alone now, she let a silly grin spread across her face. She'd met a potential match!

The question was: which of her new crewmates? She doubted it was Cora, Liam, or Lexi. If one of them was her potential match, she'd have started seeing new colors before now. Wouldn't she? No, it was most likely Vetra, Suvi, or Gil. Terry closed her eyes as she let her thoughts drift. "Terry, your body chemistry is fluctuating. Should I summon Dr. T'Perro?"

"No, no, I'm fine, SAM." She assured him, not ready to share the news just yet. Not until she'd had a chance to talk with her crew and get to know them. _Before that, though, I need to find that color chart Mom made for us.  
_

*

When Terry went down to the medbay to check in with Lexi, she couldn't help staring. Though she'd gotten used to seeing the new color-- blue, she reminded herself-- in small amounts, the doctor startled her. At Lexi's curious look, Terry blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "You're not Harry."

"Was it the blue that gave it away?" Lexi asked dryly, sounding amused rather than offended. Then she cringed. "Oops, sorry. Humans don't always see color."

Terry shrugged. "No, we don't, but, um, now I can see blues. I like your skin color. It's very pretty."

"You've met a potential match?" Lexi looked surprised and delighted. "That's wonderful! When did this happen?"

Shrugging again, Terry flinched when Lexi stabbed her with a needle. "Ow! I didn't notice any change until after I came aboard the ship. So, maybe someone on the Tempest?"

"That's... interesting." Lexi inserted the blood sample she'd taken into one of the machines nearby. "A rather small list, too."

"I don't think it's Cora or Liam," Terry admitted quietly. "If it _was_ , wouldn't I have started seeing colors sooner?"

Lexi shook her head. "Not necessarily. Just because you don't start seeing colors when you first meet someone doesn't mean they're not a potential match. Sometimes it takes a bit."

"I guess I'm just spoiled by what happened to my parents." Terry sighed softly. "Both of them started seeing color almost the moment they met."

Smiling sadly, Lexi told her, "Not everyone turns out like that, Terry. Get to know everyone and you'll figure it out eventually."

"Thanks, Lexi." Reassured and smiling, Terry left the medbay and started wandering the ship in search of her crew.

*

She ruled out Cora and Gil almost immediately. Neither of them were attracted to women. Plus, Cora was still a little uncertain about her father's decision to make Terry the new Pathfinder instead of Cora. Honestly, Terry wondered about it herself. She hadn't gone through the training like Cora and Freddy. Additionally, she and her father had only just begun to mend their relationship after her mother's death. "I may wonder why he picked you, but I still have your back, Terry."

"Thanks, Cora. It means a lot to know that." Terry meant it. She may have presented a confident front to Addison and Tann, but part of her was still terrified that she'd screw this up. " _I'd_ love to know why my father picked me instead of you."

Cora shrugged with a rueful smile. "I guess we'll never know."

"I guess so." Terry agreed and left Cora to finish settling in.

She found Liam next, sitting down and having a beer with him. Both the beer and the company were better than she'd expected. He was a good guy, bit of a bleeding heart, but you kind of had to be to go into something like crisis response. "So, Terry, why Andromeda?"

"That blunt, huh?" Terry asked with a grin, a little taken aback by the way he phrased the question.

"That blunt," he confirmed with a nod.

She sighed softly, fidgeting with her cup. "Well, my dad and my brother were coming and I--" she took a deep drink of her beer. "There wasn't anyone or anything left for me in the Milky Way. I couldn't let my brother come without me. So, here I am."

He raised his eyebrows at her. "Really? Just to be with your family?"

"Well, I kind of hoped I'd start seeing colors here," she admitted, fidgeting with her cup once more. "I never did in the Milky Way and it didn't seem like I would."

Liam chuckled wryly. "I hear you. Guess that's part of why I came, too. Why else would I leave behind a family, friends, and a good enough job? But, I wasn't seeing any colors and I wanted to. Still haven't, though."

"I hear you." Sighing, Terry held out her cup. Recognizing what she wanted, Liam tapped his bottle against it. "To seeing colors."

He smiled. "To seeing colors."

*

Starting to feel discouraged, Terry decided to head to the bridge. As she approached, Suvi noticed her and stood up from her seat. "Ah, Pathfinder! It's so wonderful to meet you. I'm Dr. Suvi Anwar, assigned to act as liaison between your crew and the Nexus science team."

"Welcome to my team. I look forward to working with you." Terry shook her hand, only briefly surprised by the fact that she wore gloves. Most humans did when they worked with other aliens. Skin-on-skin contact could make things difficult.

Suvi smiled brightly. "Likewise! I can't wait to get to work. There hasn't been much to do so far, unfortunately. I've studied all the planetary scans. I've even had some hands-on experience with Heleus soil samples. If you want, I'll send you my analysis on the native bacteria and microfauna. Sixty pages."

"That's a lot of pages. About dirt." Terry mentally kicked herself for that. It almost sounded like she was making fun of Suvi's work.

Ducking her head bashfully, Suvi told her, "Oh, you don't have to be kind. I know it's barely more than a summary." Terry stifled a chuckle at the thought of sixty pages being a 'summary'. "Anyway, I've waited months to get out there to see Heleus. It's why I joined the Initiative. The Milky Way was just a corner of a vast universe. A corner of a tiny corner. We're the ones who got to step out of that corner. It's incredible."

"The first time I handled a Prothean artifact, I was hooked." She understood what Suvi meant. It was a relief in a way. "It was so... alien. I just knew: there's more out there, and I want to see all of it."

She was rewarded with a bright smile. "I totally know what you mean!"

"So will you be joining us on missions?" Oh, Terry hoped so.

Suvi gave a weak chuckle, ducking her head again. "Oh, that's funny. Me. Out there. With the guns and the danger and everything."

"I'm good with guns and danger." Between her work as a peacekeeper and on Habitat 7, Terry was certain she could do what she promised. "I could teach you. And make sure you're okay out there."

At that, Suvi seemed to light up. "Really? Maybe one day, when things are more settled. I couldn't imagine a better teacher. Anyway, I've just received some instructions from the science team, and I really should go over them. Later then?"

"See you later." Terry reluctantly stepped back to leave Suvi to her work. She paused at the door to look back at Suvi and stared when she realized Suvi's hair wasn't gray anymore. It was a completely different color from blue. _That's-- wow. Maybe I should have talked to Suvi first._

*

Suvi finished going through the instructions from the science team and decided she needed a break. She headed down to the galley to make herself a cup of tea. Lexi sat at the table, nibbling at something and reading a datapad. "Oh! Dr. T'perro!"

"Hello, Suvi." Lexi smiled distractedly at her. "How are you settling in?"

She took a few moments to fill the kettle with water and start it boiling. "Very well. There's so much data to review just from the Hyperion's trip to the Nexus."

"There'll be more to come," Lexi reminded her as she dug out a mug and prepared it for the water. "Do you think you'll get along all right with everyone on the crew?"

Shrugging, Suvi sat down to wait for her water to boil. "I hope so. I already know Kallo and Gil a little. You and the others, I've just met."

"Hey, Lexi, Suvi." Terry hesitated in the doorway to the galley. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

Suvi shook her head while Lexi answered. "Not at all, Terry. You've changed your shirt."

"Yeah, I like this color better than blue." Terry replied, moving to the pantry to retrieve some sort of food. "No offense, Lexi."

The doctor laughed while Suvi hastily got up to turn off the whistling kettle. "None taken. I'd be worried if _everyone_ likes blue."

"It's a pretty color," Suvi offered, pouring water into her tea. "Goes with your eyes."

Terry had a bright smile on her face when Suvi turned to face her. "Thanks, Suvi. It's part of the reason I picked it." She leaned against the counter, munching on the biscuits she'd pulled out of the cupboard. "So, you see colors?"

"Only since I was woken from cryosleep," Suvi explained, feeling her heart thrum in her chest. "And only reds at first. It was a bit of a shock the first time I looked in the mirror. No wonder people remarked on the color of my hair all the time."

Lexi chuckled, finishing her snack. "It's very eye-catching. If you two will excuse me."

She slipped out of the galley and down the corridor to the medbay. "I think it's a very pretty color. Prettier than mine, anyway."

"It's such a rich black, though," Suvi observed, looking at it with interest. "Like the darkness of space between stars."

"It's black." Terry shrugged, and then offered the packet of biscuits to Suvi. "Want one?"

Though Suvi wanted to take one, as much to have something to do with her hands as to try it, she hesitated. "What kind are those?"

"Shortbread." Terry grinned. "One of the few things Mom could make from scratch without ruining it completely." The grin faded. "After she-- I started eating them because I felt like she was still with me when I did."

She stared at Terry, surprised by the admission. It was surprisingly personal. Her timer beeped and she busied herself with preparing her tea and took a deep breath of the aroma. "This was my mother's favorite tea. I think of her when I smell it." After a moment, she took one of the biscuits Terry offered and extended the tea to her.

Wrapping her hands around Suvi's on the cup, Terry leaned in to take a breath. "It smells very good. It's nice to have that connection to the Milky Way, isn't it?"

"It is." Suvi took a bite of the shortbread and sighed softly at the delicious buttery flavor. "I hope our mothers are proud of us."

Terry nodded, letting go of the cup to brush her hand across her eyes. "Yeah. Dad said she would be, not too long before he--"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean--" Suvi set the cup down on the counter and pulled Terry into a hug. The Pathfinder stiffened at the contact. Just when she thought she'd miscalculated, Terry relaxed into the hug and even returned it. Suvi pressed her face into Terry's shoulder, a little surprised by the height difference between them. 

She didn't have any idea how long they stood like that before an amused voice commented from the doorway. "Hey, no funny business in the galley. People _eat_ in here, you know."

"Oh, bite me, Liam." Terry reluctantly stepped back from Suvi and turned to leave. When he tried to steal a biscuit, she moved the package out of his reach. "Nope. You don't get one."

He turned to Suvi once Terry was gone, his eyebrows raised. "Everything all right?"

"Yes, everything's fine." Suvi popped the rest of her biscuit in her mouth and picked up her tea. "Excuse me."

As she walked past him to return to her post, he asked, "Hey! How come you got a biscuit and I didn't?"

"Maybe because I didn't try to steal one?" Suvi called over her shoulder before slipping onto the bridge and returning to her seat. She stared at her display in surprise. There were a _lot_ more colors than she remembered.

*

Once Terry, Cora, and Liam secured the original settlement for Eos, the rest of them emerged from the Tempest to inventory and catalogue everything left there. It was somber, dirty work. By the end of the day, they were all sweaty and filthy. Suvi was the last to go over to the faucet set up outside to clean up, her mind more on what she planned to do afterwards than where she was going. So she didn't see Terry standing at the faucet. Consequently, she plowed right into Terry's back, knocking her off balance so she fell face-first into the mud puddle that had formed below the faucet. "Hey! What's the-- Suvi?"

"I'm _so_ sorry, Terry," Suvi told her, voice muffled by the hands she'd clapped over her mouth. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

Rolling into a sitting position, Terry ruefully looked down at herself. She was positively _covered_ in mud now. "I'd say that was obvious. Have you shoved many people into the mud?"

"Not intentionally," she admitted. "Though I _have_ accidentally done it, back in the Milky Way."

Terry wiped away some of the mud plastered on her face. "Lucky me, I'm your first victim in Andromeda."

"I _am_ sorry," Suvi reiterated, moving closer to extend her hand to help Terry stand up.

The grin on Terry's face was her only warning before the Pathfinder took her hand and _yanked_ , pulling Suvi off-balance as well. Though she frantically flailed with her free hand, she lost her balance and fell into the med next to Terry. "There! Got my revenge."

"Are you _sure_ you're an adult?" Suvi asked, wiping away the mud that had managed to splatter on her face.

Still grinning, Terry nodded. "Being an adult doesn't mean I can't have fun."

"Well, you missed a spot." With that, Suvi took a big handful of mud and slopped it onto the armor on Terry's shoulder.

Giving a gasp of mock-outrage, Terry glared at her. "Why, you--!"

A muddy wrestling match commenced with each of them doing their level best to cover each other with mud. It ended in a draw with the two of them leaning against each other and laughing so hard they could barely breathe. Vetra's wry voice distracted them. "And I thought we left all the teenagers on the Nexus."

"Is this a private party, or can anyone join in?" Peebee, an asari scientist who'd been working on Eos for months, added from where she stood next to the turian, grinning.

"Anyone?" Terry asked, glancing at Suvi with a mischievous glint in her violet eyes. "Maaaybe."

Vetra must have realized what Terry had planned because she ducked out of the way just as the Pathfinder threw a mudball. It sailed past Peebee and splatted against Cora, who'd been walking up behind the other two. "What the--"

"Oh, shit! I'm sorry, Cora!" Terry called, just as Suvi's mudball hit Peebee square on the shoulder and the resulting splatter hit both Vetra and Cora.

No one ever figured out who said it, but someone shouted "Mudfight!" and a brawl ensued where everyone tried to hit everyone else with mudballs. Suvi and Terry stayed back-to-back, throwing mud at anyone who looked like they might remotely attack them. The others pelted them and each other with mud.

In the end, they all sat and laughed at the mess they'd made of each other and themselves. Giving a big sigh, Liam said what they'd all been thinking. "Man, I needed that."

"Now we all need baths," Lexi pointed out, grimacing at the mudstains on her tunic.

"I can hook up a hose to the faucet and we can clean off the worst of the mud out here," Gil suggested. He narrowed his eyes at all of them in general. "I'd better not see anyone tracking mud all over the Tempest."

Terry held up her hands in mock surrender. "We won't, Gil, I promise."

"I don't know who's more protective of the Tempest," Suvi whispered to Terry. "Him or Kallo."

Giggling, Terry whispered back, "Both."

Gil retrieved the hose and did as he'd promised. Terry, Cora, and Liam also peeled off their armor before heading into the Tempest to clean up. The two women wore tank tops and shorts under their armor. Liam hadn't bothered with a shirt, earning him the Turian equivalent of a wolf whistle from Vetra. Blushing a little, Suvi stripped down to her halter top and shorts before following them. She hadn't bared this much skin in the company of others since the Milky Way. It felt both risqué and right. These people were her crewmates. She might as well get comfortable around them.

*

After a second eventful day on Eos, Terry was glad to sit down around the fire with the others for dinner. From her seat next to Vetra, Peebee asked, "No mudfight?"

"Not tonight." Terry shook her head with a laugh. She smiled brightly when Suvi sat down next to her. "Hey, Suvi."

After a moment, she looked up from her omnitool. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

"Just said 'hey'," Terry replied, amused by the scientist's distraction. "What're you looking at?"

She flourished her omnitool. "Just going over what you found in that vault. It's astounding how big it is. And how much of it didn't you see? What if it's way bigger? What's all that space for?"

"Wild Remnant parties." Terry suggested with smirk, hoping to make Suvi laugh. "What else would you use it for?"

Much to her delight, Suvi did just that, turning off her omnitool. "Oh, Ryder, you're adorable."

"Freddy would call me a pain in the ass," Terry retorted, her smile fading at the thought of her brother, still in a coma.

She blinked when Suvi nudged her shoulder. "I'm here if you want to talk about it."

"I miss him," Terry admitted quietly, looking down at where she'd clasped her hands in her lap. "Even when things were rough with our parents, he was always there for me. He's my best friend and I don't know if he's going to wake up."

Suvi leaned against Terry's shoulder, gently covering her hands with one of hers. "Of course he will. If he's like you at all, he's too strong and stubborn to stay down."

"Thanks, Suvi." Terry unclasped her hands so she could hold Suvi's. "How did you get so wise?"

Sounding sheepish, Suvi said, "Well, it's more optimism than wisdom."

"I need that," she confessed, keeping her eyes on their entwined hands, realizing that Suvi wasn't wearing her gloves and admiring the way her fair skin contrasted with Terry's darker tone. "I dealt with a lot of shit as Alec Ryder's kid. Both of us did, but it affected me more than Freddy in some ways."

A thrill ran through her when Suvi rested her head on her shoulder. "The offer to listen will always be there, Terry."

"Thanks." After a moment of hesitation, she rested her cheek against Suvi's hair. It was very soft and smelled good.

She'd almost fallen asleep when SAM pinged her on their private channel, "Pathfinder, if you fall asleep where you are, your muscles will be stiff in the morning."

Groaning, she forced herself to straighten up, disturbing Suvi in the process. Yawning, Suvi asked, "Whazzit?"

"SAM just reminded me that we'd be better off sleeping in proper beds," Terry replied, reluctantly standing up and stretching.

"Or at least indoors," Vetra added as she approached them. "You two looked cozy."

Mock-glaring at the turian, Terry offered her hand to Suvi. Taking the hand, Suvi stood up, only to stumble and nearly fall. "Are you all right?"

"My legs fell asleep," Suvi admitted, her cheeks flushing. "Must have sat wrong."

As Terry slipped an arm around Suvi's waist to steady her, Vetra said, "I never did understand how human limbs could 'fall asleep'. They're not awake."

"It's the way our nervous system works," Suvi replied, wincing as they began to walk towards the buildings where they'd decided to sleep that night. "If we put pressure on the nerves just right, the signals are stopped and that part of the body goes 'numb'. When the pressure is removed, sensation returns, usually in the form of a 'pins and needles' sensation that make it difficult to use that part of the body at first."

They entered the building the 'girls' had chosen. Cora and Lexi were seated on their sleeping bags, talking, and looked up when the three of them entered. Lexi started to get up. "What happened?"

"It's nothing, Lexi." Suvi waved a dismissive hand as Terry helped her over to her bag. "My legs fell asleep."

Cora gave a sympathetic wince. "I hate when that happens."

"Me, too." Terry reluctantly let Suvi go so she could prepare for bed.

Lexi looked fascinated. "I've read about that. It's a common phenomenon in humans."

"Fairly common, yeah." Terry nodded, moving to her own sleeping bag and removing the few parts of armor she still wore. "It's more of an annoyance than life-threatening."

Suvi stretched her legs out in front of her and rubbed her calves and feet. "And some people are more susceptible to it than others."

"I'll take your word for it." Vetra finished removing her armor and slid into her sleeping bag. "Right now, I'm tired. Good night."

The others said good night and wriggled into their sleeping bags as well. Terry shifted in hers until she could see Suvi's red hair and drifted off to sleep like that.

*

It'd been a long time since she slept on a planet instead of a ship or space station. Suvi had rather missed it, actually. She had trouble getting to sleep, in fact, because she was so focused on the smells and sensations of fresh air floating in through the partly-open door. She'd just about drifted off when she heard whimpers coming from somewhere to her... left? No, right. Sitting up, Suvi squinted through the darkness at Terry's sleeping bag. Softly, she asked, "Terry?"

"The Pathfinder is asleep, Dr. Anwar," SAM informed her, modulating his volume so he wouldn't disturb Cora, Vetra, or Lexi. "However, my readings indicate that she's having a nightmare of some kind."

She bit her lip worriedly. "Terry's had them before?"

"Most nights. Last night, she did not," SAM stated, his even tone making the words somewhat unsettling. "In the past, I have been unable to help her. Perhaps you can."

Shrugging, Suvi squirmed out of her bag and crawled over to Terry's sleeping bag. She was thrashing now, her whimpers turning into words. "No, Dad, don't make me Pathfinder. I'll disappoint you. Freddy never did. No!"

"Terry, wake up," Suvi caught one of Terry's hands when it flailed out of her sleeping bag. When that didn't do the trick, she leaned down to whisper in her ear. "It's me, Suvi. You're having a nightmare, Terry."

Gasping, Terry sat bolt upright in her bag. "No!"

"Hey, keep it down. Some of us are tryin' to sleep here," Vetra grumbled from her bag.

Terry scrubbed her face with her palms and looked around. "Suvi? What are you doing?"

"You were having a nightmare," she explained, wrapping her arms around herself to ward off the chill of the night. "SAM thought waking you up might be a good idea."

Scrubbing her face again, Terry told her, "Sorry. I told you I've been through some shit."

"It's all right." Suvi squeezed her hand gently, trying to reassure her. "Would it help if I moved my bag closer to yours?"

After a moment, Terry nodded. "Actually, it might. Freddy and I always shared a room growing up. Knowing someone's nearby would be a comfort to me."

"All right." Suvi got up and slid her sleeping bag closer to Terry's, crawling into it gratefully. The night was definitely too chilly.

Once they were both settled once more, she hesitantly offered her hand. Smiling shyly, Terry took Suvi's hand and squeezed it gently. After that, it didn't take long for Suvi to drift off to sleep, comforted by Terry's hand in hers.

*

With Prodromos established, they headed back to the Nexus. Terry didn't get to gape at the changes that had occurred since she'd last been there at first, because civilians were waiting to talk to her. One of them was Professor Herik. "What you achieved with that Remnant vault is unprecedented, Pathfinder. Impossible!" As the crowd dispersed, he moved closer. "Thank you, Ryder. Both for Podromos and all the data you've managed to gather in this single trip."

"I trust Suvi and SAM have been keeping you busy?" she asked, grinning.

He nodded in reply. "Absolutely. It feels good to be doing my proper work at last."

"Professor Herik!" Suvi's voice called out from behind Terry. "Have you seen Dr. Aridana? I'd like her to check my latest calculations."

Chuckling, he greeted her with a handshake. "She's in the recently-opened research lab. It's this way."

"Have fun, Suvi!" Terry called after her, part of her a little disappointed to watch the red hair disappear up the stairs to the second level.

She stumbled when Drack bumped her shoulder with his. "Someone may have to drag her away from the lab later."

"We'll figure it out," Cora replied, stopping on Terry's other side. "For now, we have to go report to Director Tann."

Drack snorted derisively as they started towards the tram. " _You_ have to report to Director Tann. I'm going to see Kesh."

"I'll try to take time to see her myself," Terry told him, now gaping a little at the changes in the Nexus since they left. Not to mention the multitude of colors she could see now. "I almost feel like I'm back on the Citadel."

Cora raised her eyebrows as they waited for the tram to arrive. "Almost?"

"No snide comments or glares," Terry explained, folding her arms across her chest. "No one edging away from me. Things like that."

After a moment, Cora nodded, her lips pressed together in a thin line. Drack snorted again. "Humans need a thicker skin."

"Or people could just stop being idiots," Cora suggested as the tram arrived and the doors opened for them to step aboard.

Terry used her omni-tool to send them rocketing towards Operations. She'd as soon _not_ talk to Director Tann. Something about him bothered her and she couldn't pin down what it was. He was the Initiative Director, though, so she couldn't avoid him. In the end, he gave his 'permission' to pursue their one lead. Giving him a bland look, she told him, "I wasn't really asking for it."

He covered quickly, but Terry was almost certain she caught Kesh giving her an approving look. After the meeting, she received a comm message from Dr. Carlyle. "Ryder, this is Harry, back on the ark."

"Go ahead," she answered it as she walked out of the Pathfinder HQ.

"We may have found a way to talk to your brother. Sort of," Harry told her, his professional tone fading a little at the end. "Drop by when you can. Hyperion med-bay."

She nodded even though he couldn't see it, her heart thumping in her chest at the thought of talking to Freddy. "Will do."

"Go ahead," Cora told her with an understanding smile. "There's nothing else here that requires your attention.

Terry smiled, patting Cora's arm. "Thanks Cora." With that, she hurried to the tram and fidgeted during the entire trip to the Hyperion med-bay. She'd really missed Freddy. Any chance to talk to him would be great.

*

After a good long talk with the other scientists on the Nexus, Suvi reluctantly said her farewells. She wasn't sure how long they were going to be here and she'd wanted to take a look at the changes that had happened while they were gone thanks to Terry's work. As she headed towards the stairs, SAM pinged her quietly. "Dr. Anwar."

"Yes, SAM?" She moved off to the side, wondering why he was contacting her.

Still keeping his volume low, SAM told her, "I believe the Pathfinder would benefit from your company at this time."

"Why do you say that?" Suvi had to admit that she'd like to spend more time with Terry. She seemed genuinely interested in getting to know every member of her crew and Suvi liked that about her. Among many other things.

After a moment, SAM told her. "Ryder has been curled up on the bed in her quarters on the Tempest without moving for more than an hour."

"I'm assuming she's not asleep," she remarked, heading downstairs.

She wasn't sure how an artificial voice could sound prim, but SAM managed it. "No, she is still awake and her bioreadings indicate that she is not likely to fall asleep."

"Why should _I_ spend time with Terry?" Suvi wondered, still making her way to the Tempest. She was worried by SAM's description all the same.

"I have noted that your presence seems to calm her more than any other's," SAM responded, his tone calm as always.

Suvi raised her eyebrows in surprise at that tidbit. "Are you sure?"

"I have had a month to become familiar with Terry's bioreadings, Dr. Anwar." For a moment, Suvi thought SAM sounded offended. When he continued, she dismissed the notion. "Even sitting down, she is agitated. Your presence, I believe, will comfort her."

Nodding, Suvi turned towards the corridor that led to the Tempest's dock. "Fine, I'll go speak with her. I'll blame you if it doesn't go well."

*

Terry hardly noticed the tears trickling down her cheeks as she watched home videos on her omni-tool. Most of them were of her and Freddy as they grew up. Some of them included one or the other of her parents. She hastily wiped the tears from her eyes and deactivated her omni-tool when someone pressed the alert for her door. Clearing her throat, she asked, "Who is it?"

"It's Suvi!" The familiar Scottish accent brought a small smile to Terry's face and she hurried from the bed.

Wincing as her stiff muscles protested the sudden movement, she crossed to the door and opened it. "Hey, what's up?"

"I thought I'd--" Suvi cut herself off when she got a good look at Terry's face. "Did something happen on the Nexus?"

Shaking her head, Terry told her, "No. Why do you think something happened?"

"You've clearly been crying." Suvi reached up and touched Terry's cheek.

Her fingertip came away damp and Terry sighed. "Come in. I'd rather discuss this in private."

"If you're not comfortable talking about it, we can discuss something else," Suvi told her, stepping inside and following Terry over to the couch.

Shaking her head a second time, Terry sat down at one end of the couch and drew her knees up to her chest. Suvi sat down and removed her boots before tucking one foot under her so she could face Terry. "I-- talking about it helps, actually." Taking a deep breath, she told Suvi about Harry summoning her to the Hyperion's med-bay and 'talking' to Freddy. "He's still in a coma, but I talked to him. It-- God, I miss him so much."

"How did talking to him go?" Suvi asked, scooting forward to take one of Terry's hands in hers.

A little surprised by the skin-to-skin contact, Terry nevertheless held tight to Suvi's hand. "It was-- well, I admit a little strange. He--" she swallowed hard. "He asked about Dad."

"What did you tell him?" Suvi rubbed the back of Terry's hand with her thumb.

Terry gave a humorless laugh. "We promised each other a long time ago that we wouldn't lie to each other. So I told him the truth. He-- I'd say he didn't take it well, but that's a huge understatement." She tilted her head to the side to rest against the back of the couch. "Then he asked about the golden worlds."

"And you told him the truth again." The way Suvi said it made it more of a statement than a question, but Terry answered it anyway.

"Yes, I did." She blinked furiously to stop the tears pricking at her eyes again. "It upset him even more and Harry ended the session there."

She covered her face with her hand when the tears kept coming. Terry _hated_ crying in front of others. It was a sign of vulnerability and only Freddy was allowed to see it. Since she had her eyes closed, she didn't see Suvi scooting even closer. She gasped when Suvi tugged on her hand and pulled her into a hug. "He'll be fine. I've heard that Ryders are stubborn."

"Yeah, we kind of had to be with a father like ours." Terry slowly wrapped her arms around Suvi, taking comfort from her closeness.

Suvi slowly rubbed her hands up and down Terry's back, just like her mother used to do when she was little. "Just you wait. He'll wake up and thank you for telling the truth."

"Hmm." Sighing deeply, Terry felt something wound tight inside her relax. Slowly, she drifted off to sleep, breathing in the scent of Suvi's body wash.

When Lexi asked SAM about Terry's whereabouts after receiving a report from Harry, he showed her an image from the SAM node in the Pathfinder's quarters. Suvi lay on her back on the couch with Terry sprawled on top of her, face pressed into Suvi's neck, both of them fast asleep. "How well has Terry been sleeping, SAM?"

"She still has nightmares most nights, Dr. T'Perro," he answered calmly. "She even has them if she manages to nap."

Nodding, Lexi told him to let them sleep. _Pretty sure they're a match. I'm glad for both of them._

*

After a reasonable shore leave, everyone returned to the Tempest and they set out for the other vault's coordinates. After a detour thanks to the kett, they did get there, but only Terry left the ship because the planet was occupied by an unknown race. She didn't even have her armor or weapons. At first, Suvi distracted herself from her worry about Terry by studying the data their sensors collected about the planet around them and the beings who inhabited it. Eventually, that wasn't enough and she retreated to the galley where she made a cup of her mother's favorite tea. Breathing in the scent of it as she waited for it to cool enough to drink reminded her of when she shared it with Terry and how it'd felt to hug Terry that first time.

"You all right in here, kid?" Drack asked, startling Suvi out of her memories.

She quickly took a sip of her tea and winced when she burned her tongue on the too-hot liquid. "Yes, I'm fine, Drack. Why do you ask?"

"You seem like you're off your game somehow." He moved to the oven to check whatever he had cooking in there. "Maybe because Ryder's out there without back-up?"

"I'm sure she's fine," Suvi answered quickly, tracing the pattern on her mug with a fingertip. "SAM would tell us if something happened to her."

As if to answer them, SAM reported, "The Pathfinder is on her way back to the ship."

Suvi couldn't stop a small sigh of relief. "Thank God."

"Sure you're fine," Drack muttered as Suvi stood up and hurried from the galley, mug in hand, anxious to see for herself that Terry was fine.

She waited impatiently in the cargo bay with the others for Terry to arrive, both hands wrapped around her mug of tea to contain her sudden urge to fidget. Suvi took a step forward when the door opened and she wasn't the only one. All of them stopped short when they saw the being following Terry onto the ship. Clearly one of the natives, this one was taller with broader shoulders and a narrow waist. Over their body armor, they wore a bright blue garment that reminded Suvi of a poncho. The hatch closed behind Terry and the stranger, distracting the rest of them. Terry gave a small wave when she saw them waiting for her. "Hey, everyone. This is Jaal. His people are the angara and they've been fighting the kett for almost a hundred years."

"We should probably finish this briefing in the meeting room," Cora suggested in the silence that followed Terry's announcement.

Terry nodded, smiling sheepishly. "Yeah, right. Let's go." She made shooing motions and they began to trickle out of the cargo bay. Suvi lingered, still holding her tea. Terry's smile changed when she spotted Suvi and she trotted over. "Hey."

"Hey yourself." Suvi smiled shyly as she let Terry take her hand and give it a squeeze. "We were worried about you."

Chuckling softly, Terry leaned in to nudge her forehead against Suvi's. "I had SAM watching my back. I was safe."

"Didn't stop us from worrying," Suvi replied, squeezing Terry's hand in reply. "Go on and finish the briefing. Everyone's curious."

Nodding, Terry kissed Suvi's cheek and stepped back. "We'll talk more later."

"We will." Suvi nodded, and then offered the tea to Terry. "Here."

Terry didn't take it right away. "That's your mother's tea."

"And I'm giving it to you." Suvi pressed it into Terry's hands. "I can make more for myself."

Smiling, Terry accepted it with a nod and turned. "Oh, Jaal! I'm sorry. I thought you'd follow the others. The meeting room is this way."

"I didn't mind waiting," Jaal replied, his voice low and measured.

Much as she would have liked to join the briefing, Suvi returned to the bridge. She could focus on her work again now that she knew Terry was fine.

*

While the colonists set up their outpost on Voeld (the last Terry heard, they were naming it Taerve Uni), Terry, Jaal, and Drack worked with the Resistance to rescue the Moshae. What they discovered there was deeply troubling: the kett were using genetic modification to turn their angara prisoners into kett footsoldiers. They managed to free the Moshae and Kallo set course for Aya. Once Terry had showered and changed, she headed to the medbay to check in with the Moshae and Jaal. Clasping her hands behind her back, she said, "I have some questions."

"Now you wish to hear what I have to say." Terry was still learning Angaran body language, but the Moshae's tone of voice was clear enough.

Gripping her hands tightly behind her back, Terry told her, "I heard you, all right, but did you hear yourself?"

"What do you mean?" The Moshae propped herself up on her arms.

From his spot beside the bed, Jaal narrowed his eyes at Terry. "Ryder."

"No, let her speak, Jaal." She held up a hand to stop him, and then looked expectantly at Terry.

Terry narrowed her eyes, keeping her hands clasped behind her back to keep them from shaking. "You wanted that facility destroyed, then and there. When I told you that _your own people_ were there, you insisted anyway. You were willing to sacrifice them to destroy a fucking building. Their blood would have been on both our hands if I'd followed through. That's why I refused to destroy the facility."

"My people will die there anyway, since you left it intact," the Moshae reminded her, narrowing her eyes.

Slamming her hands down on the bed, Terry shot back, "I doubt that's the only exaltation facility the kett have. If I'd had SAM blow that one up, you'd have lost a large portion of the Resistance between the former prisoners and the back up Jaal called in to help rescue them. Where would you have been if they'd all died?"

"Terry." Lexi stepped in, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down."

Making a frustrated sound, Terry straightened up and turned away, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist, tears stinging at her eyes. From behind her, the Moshae said quietly, "I… had not thought of that. I only thought of what I my people had suffered there. Thank you, Pathfinder Ryder, for reminding me that I need to look at the bigger picture."

"I'm sorry for yelling at you," Terry told her, turning enough to smile apologetically at the Moshae and Jaal. "I'll let you rest now."

Jaal stepped forward to catch her arm. "Don't apologize for that, Ryder. I told you before that we angara prefer to see your emotions."

"What do you mean, Jaal?" The Moshae looked between them with some curiosity.

Gently, Terry pulled her arm out of his grip. "I prefer to keep my emotions to myself. Too many people hurt me in the past for showing anger or tears."

"No one here will, Terry," Jaal told her quietly. "Your crew cares about you."

Nodding, Terry offered him a tight smile before hurrying from the medbay. She needed to get to her quarters and have a good cry before they reached Aya.

*

Suvi had just stepped out of the lavatory after a shower when Terry practically bowled her over, sending them both crashing to the deck. Between hitting the deck and Terry landing on top of her, Suvi was quite winded and could only stare up at the Pathfinder. Violet eyes wide, Terry stared at Suvi for a moment before scrambling awkwardly to her feet and offering her hand to Suvi. "Sorry about that."

"No harm done," Suvi assured her, taking Terry's hand and getting to her feet. "Are you all right?"

Pressing her lips together, Terry shook her head. Still holding Suvi's hand, she headed towards her quarters. She stopped once the doors shut behind them, her back to Suvi though she still held her hand. Terry's shoulders shook and a sob escaped. She clapped her other hand over her mouth, but another sob escaped, and then another. Wondering what had upset Terry, Suvi moved in front of her and gently tugged her into a hug. Terry resisted only for a moment before hugging her tight and letting herself cry. Suvi held her, gently rubbing her back and humming tunelessly.

She didn't know how long they stood there before Terry's tears finally stopped. Quietly, she asked, "Better?"

"Yes, thank you, Suvi." Terry straightened up and kissed her cheek.

"Glad I could help." Suvi ignored the way her heart skipped a beat at the move. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Terry shook her head, sitting down on the couch with a sigh. "No, it's… complicated and… I don't know if I can explain properly."

"We could talk about something else." Suvi offered, sitting down beside Terry.

After a moment, Terry asked, "When did you start believing in a god? I've been through some shit, so I don't think I can share your faith, but I'd like to know more about it."

"My parents were both scientists.," Suvi told her, relaxing against Terry's side. "My home was ruled by rationality. So when I became a teenager... Let's just say that while other kids found batarian music, I found God."

Terry frowned, sounding a little confused, "But your work as a scientist..."

"...Convinced me even more. Especially when I got into molecular biology, physics..." Suvi shifted so she could see Terry's face as she explained, earnest and determined. "The patterns I kept seeing, over and over again: they were like an artist's watermarks. God, to me, is an artist. An inventor. Not something checking to see if I brushed my teeth."

Smiling, Terry caught Suvi's hand in hers and squeezed it. "I'm really glad you volunteered to join our crew, by the way."

"I am too. New galaxy and all." Suvi was determined not to read too much into Terry's words, though her heart pounded at the thought that Terry could mean more. "I'm honored to be here." 

Terry shook her head, her next words coming out in a rush, "No, I mean... I think you're cute and I like seeing you up on the bridge."

"Oh my goodness, Terry!" Suvi sat up straight and covered her cheeks, which she could feel heating up with a blush.

Terry sat up as well, looking shy, but determined, "Also the accent. The accent is... I mean, it's not the only thing, but... uh. Okay. I should…uh…"

"Pathfinder and Suvi to the bridge," Kallo's voice came over the comms then, reminding them that they had a job to do.

Suvi got to her feet. She'd never finished getting dressed. "We both need to go."

"Suvi," Terry stood up and caught her hand.

Smiling shyly, she stretched up to kiss Terry's cheek. "Thank you. And so you know, the feeling's mutual."

"Yes!" Terry looked sheepish the next moment. "I mean, time to pathfind. Serious business, saving everyone."

Giggling, Suvi slipped out of Terry's quarters and hurried to the crew quarters to finish getting dressed. She nodded to Jaal and the Moshae as she passed them.

*

So much had gone wrong in Andromeda, it felt good to return the Moshae to her people. Just as good as it'd felt to establish Prodromos. Terry only wished she could share this with her brother. "When you're ready, we can take a shuttle to the vault."

"Of course." Glancing around, Terry spotted Suvi nearby, her eyes wide and shining with wonder as she looked at the city. Turning back to the Moshae, she asked, "Do you mind if Dr. Anwar comes with us? She's more of a scientist than I am."

The Moshae looked over at Suvi and nodded. "Of course. She's welcome to come."

"Thank you." While the Moshae walked carefully over to the waiting shuttle, Terry headed over to Suvi, who was busy with her omnitool. "Suvi?"

Blue eyes shining with delight, Suvi told her, "This is amazing, Terry! I have so many questions, I don't know where to start!"

"Would you like to see their vault?" Terry asked, grinning.

Suvi's eyes seemed to grow as big as saucers. "You mean it?"

"The Moshae said you're welcome to join us." Terry gestured towards the shuttle. "Shall we?"

Nodding, Suvi slipped her hand into Terry's. "Oh, yes."

They made their way to the shuttle and climbed aboard, settling into seats opposite the Moshae. "Dr. Suvi Anwar, this is the Moshae Sjefa. Moshae, Suvi is The Tempest's liaison with the scientists on the Nexus."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Moshae." Suvi offered a somewhat shy smile in greeting.

The Moshae smiled warmly in reply. "It's always a pleasure to meet a fellow scientist. I have focused on studying the Remnant, as your people call it. What do you study?"

"I have degrees in astrophysics and molecular biology," Suvi replied, her grip on Terry's hand loosening a little in the face of the Moshae's friendliness. "The scans Terry took of the vault on Eos were amazing. I wish I could have gone with her."

Grinning, Terry nudged Suvi. "My offer to teach you how fight still stands, Suvi."

"I'm more use to you on the Tempest right now," she replied, nudging her back. "As I said, maybe once things settle down a bit."

They arrived at the vault after a few minutes of comfortable silence. As they walked in, the Moshae commented, "I haven't brought anyone here in over twenty years."

"It's incredible!" Suvi remarked in a hushed voice, looking around with wide eyes.

They followed the Moshae over to a familiar console. "There's always been an active display for Aya, but we could never affect it."

"Let's see what we can do," Terry moved forward and placed her hand over the console, just as she did on Eos. "SAM?"

Both Suvi and the Moshae gasped when it activated a star map that filled the space above their heads. "Yes, this is new--is it similar to the vault on Eos? Tell me, what are you seeing?"

"It matches the scans SAM took," Suvi commented, busy with her omnitool. "Except--"

Terry had spotted it already and they pointed at the same symbol. "This." She smiled at Suvi, and then looked at the Moshae. "What do _you_ see?"

"The vaults--they're a network, as you discovered, however--" the Moshae began, and then glanced expectantly at Terry.

Nodding, Terry indicated the unusual symbol, her heartbeat racing at what this could mean. "--they're not connected to each other, but to this place."

"This image was on a relic the Archon showed me," the Moshae told them, looking somber. "He called it Meridian."

Gazing up at the image, her omnitool forgotten for the moment, Suvi remarked, "It looks like Aya's vault is the only one that's fully connected to it."

"--and it's terraforming, doing what it's meant to do," Terry finished the thought, unable to stop a smile at the thought that she'd found a solution to the Initiative's need for golden worlds.

SAM chimed in then, startling both the Moshae and Suvi, "The vault on Eos is also present, but changed. Our interfacing with it has affected its connection."

"What about Voeld?" Suvi asked, staring up at the map. "It's been a bit, hasn't it?"

Another endpoint lit up. "You are correct, Dr. Anwar. It shows some change as well."

"What do you think, professor?" Terry asked the Moshae.

She answered without hesitation, as if she'd already reached her conclusion. "I think that Meridian is the control center for all the vaults."

"This discovery might just change everything," Terry told them, trying to remain calm and collected, like her father would want. "If we can get to Meridian, maybe we can turn everything on from there." She looked from the Moshae to Suvi. "Make Heleus live."

Suvi moved close and took Terry's hand, squeezing it. "How are you going to find it, Terry? This is just a map of the network of vaults."

"The Archon knows where it is," the Moshae told them, her voice quiet and pained. "He's already been there."

Terry turned towards the Moshae, still holding Suvi's hand. "To Meridian? You're sure?"

"Of course, that's why he tortured me." She shuddered and Terry reached out to squeeze her arm sympathetically. "He thought I could help him use it."

"Because he can't," Suvi finished the thought, pressing close to Terry's side.

Squeezing Suvi's hand, Terry held the Moshae's gaze. "Meridian is our people's best chance for survival. We have to take it from him."

"Agreed." The Moshae nodded, her gaze encompassing both of them. "Such power in the hands of such evil could mean the end of your people--and mine."

"No one is safe as long as he's on this hunt." Despite her bold words, Terry felt a little shaky inside as she made her declaration, "I'm going to shut it down--for all our sakes."

Reluctantly moving away from Suvi, Terry stepped forward and lifted her hand so SAM could make a copy of the map. As he worked, the Moshae told her, "You're going to need that relic I saw. The Resistance might have intel on the whereabouts of the Archon's ship."

"I'll meet you at the Resistance headquarters," Terry assured her, turning and taking Suvi's hand now that SAM had the map.

Nodding, the Moshae led them from the vault.

*

When Terry emerged from her meeting with the Moshae and Efvra, she was scowling. When Suvi approached her, the scowl faded. "Hey."

"Hey yourself." Suvi smiled when Terry reached for her hand and held it tight. "Did it go well?"

Terry sighed deeply. "Yes and no. I'll explain it to everyone once we get back on the ship."

"Shall I issue a recall, Pathfinder?" SAM asked from Terry's omnitool.

She shook her head. "Not yet. Give them a bit more time to enjoy the sights."

"And us," Suvi added with a smile, squeezing Terry's hand gently.

Terry returned the smile and the squeeze. Before she could say anything, she tilted her head and turned towards an angaran woman nearby, intent on her personal computer. Leading Suvi over towards her, she said, "Hello there."

"I'm working," the woman replied, not looking at them.

Her head tilting to one side again, Terry said, "You scanned us pretty hard. That _wasn't_ your way of saying 'welcome, stranger'?"

"Terry," Suvi hissed, tugging on her hand.

Still not turning towards them, the angaran said, "I wanted to be discreet."

"Noted." Terry squeezed Suvi's hand again. "What's your interest in us?"

The woman finally turned towards them, her eyes bright with curiosity. "You're aliens on my homeworld. Why wouldn't I be interested?"

"You could've asked," Suvi told her, and then smiled sheepishly. "Though I'd have probably done the same in your place."

Amused, the angaran scientist looked between them as she asked, "Fine. Will you submit to a full-spectrum analysis of your biology?"

"You haven't even told us your name," Terry replied before Suvi could say anything. "I'm Terry Ryder, human pathfinder, and this is my science officer, Dr. Suvi Anwar."

Nodding her head slightly to acknowledge that, the woman replied, "Daanfre, biological researcher. This is my home."

"Are you looking for something specific?" Suvi couldn't resist asking.

Her smile returning, Daanfre explained, "We share many external similarities. I want to learn if that holds true internally."

"I have a scanner," Terry pointed out, holding up her free arm so the omnitool lit up. "Seems only fair you let me go first."

Daanfre's smile faded as she studied the two of them. Suvi nudged Terry, hissing quietly. "Ryder!"

"It's my final offer." Terry remained adamant.

Her smile returning, Daanfre told her, "You're bold, Pathfinder. All right. Scan me."

"Thank you, Daanfre." Terry lifted her arm so she could scan Daanfre. From the way she held her head, Suvi knew SAM was relaying the information he'd gathered privately. Finally, she said, "All done. You're interesting."

Daanfre lifted her arm to scan each of them in turn. "So are you two." She studied the information from her scan and frowned. "This is... I thought you were both women."

"We _are_ both women." Terry's smile faded and Suvi felt her hand tighten around her own. "Regardless of what our biology indicates."

Curiosity lit Daanfre's eyes. "Your people have-- Skutt! I don't think the word will translate--"

Terry's hand trembled in Suvi's as she said, "I was assigned male at birth. I'm what we call trans."

"That didn't translate, but I understand your meaning." Daanfre gave them a reassuring smile and turned their discussion towards families and a future sharing the Heleus cluster.

Once they'd said good-bye and continued on their way, Terry said, "SAM, tell the others to wrap up their business and head back to the Tempest."

"Yes, Pathfinder," SAM's answer came promptly and precisely.

Suvi could practically feel Terry's tension and made a quick decision to pull her over towards the railing so they could look out over Aya. "You're still Terry Ryder, our Pathfinder and friend." She covered Terry's hand on the railing, glad she'd left her gloves on the ship. "I still like you."

"You have _no_ idea how many people ran when I told them about it." Terry's shoulders slumped and she turned her hand over so she could clasp Suvi's.

Shaking her head at the thought that people would let something silly like biology keep them from spending time with Terry, Suvi told her, "They're idiots, then. How did your family react?"

"I told Mom first." Terry looked out over Aya, tears glinting in her eyes. "She helped me start HRT and things. Freddy was hurt more by the fact that I kept it secret from him at all."

Suvi moved closer, pressing her shoulder against Terry's arm. "Is that when you two promised not to keep secrets from each other?"

"I-- Yeah, it is." Terry glanced at Suvi in surprise. "You remember that?"

Nodding, Suvi threaded her fingers through Terry's. "Of course. How did your father react?"

"...Not well." Terry closed her eyes for a long moment, tears trickling down her cheeks. "I sometimes wonder if he'd rather have had just Freddy."

They both jumped when SAM piped up, "You've heard his logs, Terry. He accepted you as you are and felt bad for how he reacted."

"I know, SAM." Terry wiped at her cheeks. "I just-- it would've meant more coming right from the horse's mouth."

Suvi reached up and wiped away a tear that Terry had missed. "At least you know for sure, Terry. Also, he _did_ make you his successor. That says a lot right there."

"I suppose." Terry gave a deep, shuddering breath. "Anyway, I dealt with a lot more rejection than Freddy did and I was just so fucking _done_ with it. I came here to get away from that as much as to be with my family."

Suvi rested her head on Terry's shoulder, still holding her hand. "I'm here for you, Terry, no matter what. The others, too."

"Lexi's the only other crew member who knows," Terry admitted in a low voice, resting her cheek against Suvi's hair. "I've been nervous about telling people."

She nodded, giving Terry's hand a squeeze. "Of course. Whether you tell them or not, I'll support your choice."

Terry lifted her head and, when she didn't say anything, Suvi looked up at her curiously. "You're not going to try to talk me into telling them?"

"No, that's your decision." Suvi smiled and covered Terry's hand with hers. "If you want my opinion, I think you should. That's all I'll say, though."

A bright smile lit Terry's face, taking Suvi's breath away. "Thank you, Suvi."

"You're welcome, Terry."

*

Terry smiled when the alert for her quarters chimed. She had a pretty good idea as to who it was, but she still asked, "Who is it?"

"It's Suvi," she called through the door. Nodding, Terry told SAM to open the door. Suvi entered, her smile fading when she got a good look at Terry. "What happened?"

Touching her cheek, Terry's fingers came away wet with tears, again. "Just memories, again."

"Do you want to talk about them or something else?" Suvi asked, walking over to sit beside Terry on the couch.

Wrapping her arm around Suvi's shoulders, Terry asked, "Who's on the bridge?"

"Kallo doesn't need me right now." Suvi took a moment to remove her boots before snuggling close to Terry. "You didn't seem quite yourself when you had us set course for Kadara."

Terry sighed softly. "I don't know if the other SAMs can do this, but our SAM can use my implant to show me Dad's memories. I see things through his eyes and even feel his emotions."

"That's incredible," Suvi whispered, looking up at her with wide eyes. "What did you see?"

Amused by the question, Terry told her about the first memory, about how frustrated Alec had been that his proposal for an AI to help humans had been rejected. "When Mom told him that her disease was terminal, he was... afraid. He didn't want to lose her. Then he became determined. His proposal for an AI could save her, so he was going to do it anyway and damn the consequences. If it kept Mom alive, he'd do it."

"That's very romantic," Suvi murmured, resting her head on Terry's shoulder.

Terry sighed and rested her cheek against Suvi's hair, feeling tears trickle down her cheeks once more. "I know. Dad never really got over Mom's death. One of the memories I just saw-- It was when Mom 'met' SAM, I guess you could say. Dad was telling her how SAM could save her and underneath his determination and worry, I could _feel_ how much he loved Mom. He didn't want to let her go. He couldn't."

"I couldn't tell you if my parents felt the same way," Suvi confided after a few moments of comfortable silence. "They loved each other, of course, but they were never tested the way your parents were."

Smiling sadly, Terry kissed the top of Suvi's head. She wanted to kiss her properly, but she was still a little afraid to. "The other memory I just saw-- It was the first time I came 'home' after I fully transitioned. I knew Mom and Freddy would accept me, but Dad and I hadn't parted on the best of terms. I was worried about how he'd react when he saw me." Suvi didn't say anything, just held Terry's free hand between both of hers. "He didn't really react, as far as I could tell. Just kept tinkering with SAM until Mom pushed him into actually _talking_ to the rest of us."

"He _did_ react, though, didn't he?" Suvi asked quietly when Terry paused to let out a deep, shuddering breath.

Terry nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat with some difficulty. "Seeing that night through _his_ eyes, the only emotions I felt from him was pride when he looked at me and Freddy. Pride and sadness that he'd missed so much of our lives because of his work. He loved us. _Both_ of us. I--" she stopped, unable to continue.

"Of course he did." Suvi shifted her position so she could hug Terry tight, rubbing her back and humming tunelessly.

Terry clung to Suvi, crying. Even as she took comfort in the embrace, Terry wondered why it always seemed to be her falling apart these days. Privately, SAM told her, _"You are dealing with more 'shit' as you say, Terry. When the time comes, you will comfort her just as she has comforted you."_

Amused that SAM had picked up on her thought, Terry let herself enjoy holding Suvi. Soon enough, they'd both have to get back to work.

*

After retrieving the kett transponder from Kadara (as well as resetting the vault and establishing an outpost), Terry went looking for the other Pathfinders instead of the Archon. As she told the crew: _"I don't know what's going to happen once we find the asshole. I want to be sure there'll be others who can do the job."_

Along the way, Terry reset the vaults on Havarl and Elaadan, giving the Initiative time and room to grow. Unable to find any leads on the salarian ark, Terry decided it was time to seek out the Archon and found Ark Paarchero tethered to his flagship. "New plan: rescue the salarians _and_ find the Meridian relic."

"Piece of cake," Liam piped up from his place at the back of the bridge.

"Now you've done it, Liam." Terry turned and gave him a mock-glare. "I want cake now and who knows when we'll have the ingredients for one?"

He grinned unrepentantly. "Find Meridian and it'll be sooner than you think."

"Yeah, just find Meridian. Simple." Terry took a deep breath and left the bridge with Drack and Liam behind her.

All the rest of them could do was sit and wait. Occasionally, Terry or SAM would update them with news. They found Pathfinder Raeka and put the rescue of the salarian ark in her hands. Then they moved further into the Archon's ship in search of the relic. Before they received any news in that regard, most of the colored lights on Suvi's console turned gray. She stared at it for several moments, feeling as if her heart had frozen in her chest. "No, no! SAM, what happened to Terry?"

"Suvi, what's wrong?" Lexi asked, having come to the bridge to confer with Kallo about the scans they'd received of salarians.

Blinking back tears at the sight of Lexi with gray skin, Suvi told her, "Everything's gray, Lexi. I don't even see reds."

"Forgive me, Dr. Anwar," SAM replied before any of them could. "The Pathfinder was caught in a kett immobilization field that only works on living tissue."

Lexi's jaw dropped for a moment. "You didn't!"

"Please tell me--" Suvi didn't have to finish her statement because Lexi's skin turned blue once more. "She's alive. You're blue again."

Lexi opened her mouth as if to say something, but thought better of it. Instead, she addressed SAM. "Make sure Terry comes to see me as soon as she can."

"Yes, Dr. T'Perro," SAM replied, closely followed by Terry's voice, "Can I shower first?"

Sighing and shaking her head, Lexi said, "Of course."

Suvi tried to focus on the data in front of her, but her hands shook and she kept staring at the lights, praying they wouldn't turn gray again. She didn't relax until Terry's voice came over the comms. "We're all aboard. Let's blow this joint, Kallo."

"On our way, Pathfinder." Kallo's fingers moved over the console and Suvi forced herself to do her part instead of rushing down to the cargo bay.

She started when Lexi squeezed her shoulder, but the doctor only said, "Don't forget to come to the medbay after you shower, Terry."

"Yeah, yeah, my first stop," Terry replied via the comms. "Oi, Kosta! Pathfinder gets dibs on the shower, remember?"

Lexi stepped outside to call down to the lower deck, "Your mic is still hot, Terry."

"It is? Shit." If Terry said anything else, they didn't hear it because she'd turned off her mic.

Suvi couldn't stifle a weak chuckle at that. Terry had a tendency to forget about turning her mic off once she was back aboard the Tempest. Across the way, Kallo said, "Suvi?"

"I'm fine now that she's aboard, Kallo." She offered what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

He nodded, and then tilted his head towards the door. "If you want, you can go see her. I can pilot us back to the Nexus on my own."

"I'll wait until after she's seen Lexi." Her smile felt stronger. "Thank you."

*

"Terry!" At Suvi's call, Terry turned back from the door to her quarters with a relieved smile. Joining her at the door, Suvi took her hand and tugged to urge her inside. "I need a break. Do you need a break? Let's go for a break!"

Laughing, Terry followed Suvi inside. "Okay."

"Care for some tea, Terry?" Suvi moved over to the desk where two steaming mugs waited.

Raising her eyebrows as she moved to the couch, Terry told her, "I'd love a cup."

"This is a cultivar originating in Sumatra. My own personal stash. Once I run out... That'll be it for Earth tea." Suvi sighed, carrying the two mugs over and handed one to Terry. "I keep having these thoughts. 'I'm never going to taste this again. I'm never going to see that again.'"

Terry wrapped her arm around Suvi's shoulders when she sat down. "You're not the only one, Suvi. I have those senseless thoughts all the damn time."  
"And? Do they bother you?" Suvi looked curiously at Terry, sipping her tea.  
She took a moment to consider it, and then shook her head. "It's natural. You'd have to be made of stone not to miss home sometimes."

"The universe is like a giant tapestry. I love following its threads, but it distracts me from the whole picture," Suvi remarked, looking sadly at her tea. "My family was right there, but I was too occupied by the abstract to appreciate them.

Terry gently took Suvi's mug out of her hands and set it on the coffee table, along with her own. "From everything you've told me, you're here _because_ of your family. Your love of science, doesn't that come from them? Aren't you with them every time you chase down a new discovery?"

"Terry, that's beautiful." Suvi smiled, a blush touching her cheeks when Terry took her hands.

Squeezing Suvi's hand, Terry reminded her, "My father was an explorer, and my mother a researcher. Everything I do here reminds me of them. I haven't lost them either. And Suvi, the threads you followed led you here to me." Terry pressed Suvi's hand to her chest, right over her quickly-beating heart. "How could that have been a mistake?"

"Of everything I've encountered in Heleus, you are by far my favorite." Suvi smiled shyly up at Terry, turning her hands to press them against Terry's chest.

Unable to resist any longer, especially after the ordeal she'd just been through, Terry leaned in to kiss Suvi, sweet and soft and tender. _I hope she doesn't slap me for this!_

"Don't do this to me, Terry, not unless you really mean it." Suvi's eyes were intent on Terry's when she pulled back.

Cupping Suvi's cheek, Terry told her, "I know and I _am_ serious. Serious about us."

"I don't want the colors to go gray again," Suvi whispered, leaning forward to rest her forehead on Terry's shoulder. "Not for a long time, anyway."

Terry winced, sliding her arms around Suvi. "Ah, um. Sorry about that. My thoughts were on getting out of that immobilization field so we could find the relic."

"I know being a Pathfinder is dangerous, but try to be more careful about what you do to get out of situations like that." Suvi straightened up and Terry was surprised to see tears shining in her eyes, ready to spill over.

Nodding, she leaned forward to kiss Suvi's cheek. "I'll do my best, Suvi."

"Thank you." With that, Suvi leaned in to kiss Terry.

*

"Suvi!" Terry sounded happier than Suvi had ever heard her before and she turned in time to grip Terry's arms when she pulled Suvi into a hug tight enough to lift her feet off the ground and spin her around. "Freddy woke up!"

Laughing breathlessly, Suvi hugged Terry once her feet were safely on the deck. "That's wonderful news, Terry. I look forward to meeting him."

"He wants to meet you, too." Terry smiled sheepishly at Suvi. "I, um, told him about us already. I hope that's all right."

Surprised by the admission, Suvi cupped Terry's cheek with a fond smile. "It's quite all right." She contented herself with a quick kiss, her cheeks warm at the thought that others waited nearby for Terry. "For the moment, you have a meeting."

"I do?" Terry blinked and looked past Suvi to see Pathfinder Hayjer and Suvi's fellow scientists waiting for her. "Oh! Right. You said you had an idea for helping me get to Meridian?" As Terry walked over to join them, she kept firm hold of Suvi's hand.

"That's good news about your brother, Ryder." Hayjer replied, looking amused. "We've been working with Dr. Aridana and her team on the problem of getting to Meridian."

Dr. Aridana nodded, glancing between Terry and Suvi with an amused smile that made Suvi blush all over again. "We think we have the answer."

"I'm listening." Though she kept firm hold of Suvi's hand, Terry's voice was all business.

Her cheeks still warm, Suvi answered for Dr. Aridana. "It's plans for a new technology we've designated Ghost Storm."

"As you approach Meridian, our own ships can broadcast fake returns for the Tempest," Hayjer explained before Terry could ask.

Professor Herik added to the explanation, "The kett won't know which one is genuine. It will confuse their sensors and draw their ships off."

"It could buy you some time," Aridana finished.

Terry nodded thoughtfully, absently rubbing her thumb along the back of Suvi's hand. "I can work with that. Just enough to give us an advantage."

"The rest is on you," Hayjer told her, almost gently for a salarian.

She lifted her chin almost defiantly. "I can handle it." Her grip on Suvi's hand tightened for a moment. "Though it means going against the Initiative. We're alone here." She seemed to recall that Hayjer and Suvi weren't the only other people in the room. "You didn't hear that."

"Hear what?" Dr. Aridana asked innocently. "We've been busy collating gamma charts all day."

Stifling a laugh, Terry moved to the other side of the room all the same. Suvi walked alongside her and Hayjer followed them. "I'm learning that Pathfinders are often alone. Part of the job."

"Suvi and my crew have been amazingly supportive and helpful," Terry told him. "Perhaps you will find the same for yourself."

Hayjer nodded slightly, smiling at Suvi. "Perhaps."

Terry straightened her posture and squeezed Suvi's hand. "Let's get to it, then. The Archon isn't sitting on his hands."

"You'll need to research the Ghost Storm technology first." Hayjer told her. "Then we'll meet you at Meridian." As he left, he told them, "Good luck."

Somewhat alone, Terry tugged Suvi into another hug. She gladly wrapped her arms around Terry, holding her close. "I'm here."

"We're almost there, Suvi," Terry whispered. "We've almost made Heleus a home."

Suvi smiled against Terry's shoulder. "One last push."

*

After ending her vidcall with the Nexus, Terry turned to leave only to find Suvi on her way up the ramp. "There you are! It feels like I've been waiting forever. Meridian." She pressed a few buttons on the vid console to bring up an image of Meridian, caught by SAM. "Set on a path by its creators...disrupted by the Scourge... now lost. An unmanned ship is at the mercy of ocean currents. Now, think of Meridian as the ship, and the Scourge as the ocean... If I can somehow predict the currents and track them, we could figure out where the ocean's taken the ship."

"That's genius! The Scourge is the sea, moving objects around..." Terry slipped her arm around Suvi's waist and kissed her cheek.

She blushed, a pleased smile curving her lips. "It's not a precise analogy, of course, but it illustrates the point."

"Dr. Anwar's suggestion may indeed be our best chance at finding Meridian," SAM interjected then, as calm and reasonable as always. "The more we know about the Scourge, the better we can predict how it affects the things it comes in contact with."

Suvi pressed a few more buttons on the console as Cora appeared at the top of the other ramp. "We'll need better data: probes for the Scourge, angaran star charts…"

"The Initiative made charts of Heleus from the Milky Way, 600 years back." Cora reminded them, looking between the two of them with some amusement. "Perfect baseline."

Nodding, Suvi didn't look up, intent on her work. Terry couldn't take her eyes off her, admiring her singular focus. "I can compare that to Heleus at present. It'll give us numbers, but one set won't be enough."

"SAM, what exactly do we need right now?" Terry was determined that Suvi would have whatever data she needed if she could provide it at all.

His reply came with barely a hesitation. "Readings from within the Scourge itself, collected by probes planted at key points. Once enough data is collected, we'll need Initiative resources for mining and analysis. Once that is done, I can build a predictive model that will re-calculate Meridian's path."

"Well, it sounds like a fine plan." Terry nodded, taking a deep breath. "I guess we won't know for sure unless we give it a shot. Everyone's counting on us. Let's bring them home."

While Cora left, SAM told Terry privately, _"I've sent a list of navpoints for probes to your omnitool, Terry."_

She nodded, and then nudged Suvi, who was still focused on the console in front of her. "Tempest to Suvi, come in, Suvi."

"Hmm, what?" Blinking, Suvi looked up at Terry. "Did you say something?"

"Let's take some time for ourselves while Kallo flies us to the Nexus." Holding Suvi's hand, Terry led her to her quarters.

She reluctantly released Suvi's hand so she could pour some drinks for them. Suvi sat down on the couch, as usual, removing her boots so she could tuck her feet under herself. "The Nexus science team is completely blown away by what you found in the Remnant city. Back in the Milky Way, did it feel like this when you were out looking for Prothean artifacts?"

Terry nodded emphatically, carrying the cups over and sitting down beside Suvi. "Absolutely. Got a crazy rush whenever we found something new."

"Rush." Suvi nodded slowly, cradling her cup between her hands. "Yeah, that's what it is, isn't it? You know, the discovery of the angaran origins have made me think hard about creation. If the Jardaan were capable of creating life, then what does that say about god?"

Terry gently urged Suvi to curl up against her, which she did, fitting perfectly under Terry's arm. "You're wondering if he could be just a scientist?"

"What if our Creator is just like the Jardaan? Advanced, but mortal, fallible." Suvi stared down into her mug of tea.

She kissed Suvi's cheek again. "Even in that scenario, a higher power could still exist."

"There could always be something greater. Greater than us, greater than the Jardaan." Suvi looked up at Terry with a smile, stretching up to kiss her cheek in return. "I had faith before, and I'll keep having faith. Because that's what faith is. Thank you, Terry. You always know how to make me feel better. It's why I started seeing more colors after we met. You just get me."

Terry gently brushed Suvi's hair out of her face. "I'm glad we're a match, Suvi. You've been there for me so much and I will never forget that."

"I can't take away the burden of being a Pathfinder," Suvi replied, taking Terry's cup from her and putting it on the coffee table with hers. "I can do what I can to make it easier to bear."

Smiling, Terry cupped Suvi's face between her hands. "I love you, Suvi."

"I love you, too, Terry." Her eyes shining, Suvi stretched up to kiss Terry.

She responded happily to the kiss. Just talking with Suvi had helped Terry to feel better about not finding Meridian itself. _We **will** find it eventually. It's just taking longer than we thought it would, that's all.  
_

*

Terry smiled when she found Suvi in the tech labs on the Nexus. _Of **course** she's here of all places._ Feeling playful, she snuck up behind Suvi and slipped her arms around her in a hug. Suvi gasped with surprise and spun around. "Terry!" When Suvi shoved her shoulder, Terry only laughed. "Oh, you gave me a fright! I wasn't expecting you... I must've lost track of time. I was just scanning Jardaan prototypes for an interactive model I'm building for the team. Wait. Stand here and I'll show you." Suvi hurried over to turn off the light, and then rejoined Terry, looking excited. "It's not complete yet but..."

Terry gasped when the model appeared in the air above the datapad. It looked incredible already and it wasn't done yet? It would look amazing once Suvi finished it! "Wow."

"You're looking at the building blocks of life in Heleus," Suvi told her, blue eyes intent on the model. "This... this is what I came here to find. And I've only just started. "

Terry couldn't take her eyes off of Suvi, admiring the intensity of her focus. "It's beautiful."

"Sorry, did you say something?" Suvi barely glanced away from the model.

Smiling wryly, Terry told her, "I said, "It's beautiful.""

"You mean the display, right?" Suvi finally looked at Terry, a hint of a blush on her cheeks.

Smiling warmly at her, Terry explained, "Your insatiable curiosity about the universe. Your faith. Your love of science. To be honest, I'm a little jealous." She admitted the last almost shyly.

"You don't have to be." Suvi took Terry's hands in hers. "We're a match for a reason: we just click. On so many things. It feels right, and comfortable, and safe. Science is my calling and my passion, but you--you're my home." Unable to resist any longer, Terry kissed Suvi, sweet and tender, but with a hint of hunger behind it. Pulling away, Suvi pushed a button on the datapad next to her. "Locked the door. I know I said we should go out, but I want to stay here forever."

Terry stroked Suvi's cheek with her fingertips. "I'd love nothing more than to stay here forever with you."

"I wish." Suvi smiled, cupping Terry's cheek with one hand. "The team might have something to say about that when they try to get in here. But I'll take this moment for as long as it lasts, because it's perfect."

Blue eyes gazed into purple for a long moment before they kissed again. As they grew more heated, Terry suggested breathlessly, "Perhaps we should return to the Tempest. I don't want our first time together to be a quickie in the tech lab."

"I like that idea." Suvi turned off the model and unlocked the door. Luckily, no one seemed to notice them as they hurried back to the Tempest and to Terry's quarters.

Alone with Suvi, Terry suddenly felt nervous. "You should know: I don't have much experience. With sex, I mean."

"I'm not very experienced, either." Suvi took Terry's hands again and guided her towards the bed. "I know the theory and I'm assuming you do, too."

Terry nodded, sitting down and drawing Suvi close to stand between her knees. It was strange to stretch up to kiss her, but kind of nice, too. "I'm not a virgin, but my experiences were few and far between."

"We'll figure it out together," Suvi draped her arms over Terry's shoulders, lightly nudging their foreheads together. "We're scientists, after all."

Laughing, Terry kissed Suvi again and let her passion carry her away at last.

*

As they travelled around the cluster, placing probes and gathering data, Suvi could tell something was bothering Terry. After Liam's movie night, she decided to broach the topic while they prepared for bed. "Something's been bothering you, Terry. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I-- It's hard." Terry pulled her shirt off and tossed it into the hamper. "I told you about seeing my dad's memories. Well, I saw a few more the last time we were on the Nexus and they-- I have a lot of questions now."

Suvi tossed her clothes in the hamper after Terry's and sat down beside her on the bed. "What sort of questions?"

"I'm pretty sure Jien Garson was murdered," Terry told her quietly. "Everyone assumed it was due to the Scourge disaster, but SAM and I uncovered evidence that suggests otherwise."

Suvi glanced over at SAM's router on the desk. "You're sure about this? Did you find any suggestion as to _who_ did it?"

"None, Dr. Anwar," SAM replied when Terry remained silent. "We found nothing to hint at their identity and, given the lapse of time between the murder itself and our discovery of it--"

Terry sighed heavily and fell back onto the bed. "It's unlikely that we will find them."

"Who would want to kill her?" Suvi laid back beside Terry, taking her hand.

Terry explained about the mysterious benefactor who helped finance the trip to Andromeda. "Dad and Jien both did some digging, but they couldn't find _anything_ to tell them the identity of this benefactor."

"What scared them enough to willingly moved 100,000 people to another galaxy?" Suvi shifted to lay on her side, gazing at Terry.

She only shook her head in reply, keeping her eyes on the ceiling. "I-- It's not important."

"Terry? You know?" Suvi stared at her lover in surprise.

Reluctantly, Terry nodded. "Yeah. I saw it in Dad's memories."

"Tell me, please," Suvi requested, scrambling to kneel beside Terry on the bed.

Terry propped herself up on her elbows. "Are you sure?"

"I'd rather know the truth, you know that." Suvi gave Terry her best stern look.

Smiling weakly, Terry sat up and told Suvi about the reapers that had likely wiped out all life in the Milky Way. Suvi gasped, tears springing to her eyes at the thought of her family's fate. "You're the first person I told. I thought it'd be best to let everyone just think that the people they left behind lived out their lives like normal."

"I see." Suvi scooted forward and basically climbed into Terry's lap, clinging to her. "Thank you for telling me the truth."

Terry kissed her forehead. "I wanted to spare you that truth."

"I asked, didn't I?" Suvi kept her arms firmly around Terry's shoulders, comforted by Terry's arms around her waist. "You said you saw more than one of your dad's memories?"

Terry nodded, pressing her lips together for a moment. "I also saw the day Mom died. I-- That was one of the worst days of my life. The first person I told about being trans and the first one I lost. Freddy and I-- we said our goodbyes, told Mom we loved her, and then--"

"Let them say goodbye in private?" Suvi asked gently, rubbing Terry's back.

Nodding again, Terry swallowed hard, her voice hoarse when she finally answered. "Yeah." She brushed irritably at her eyes. "Only--"

"What?" Suvi frowned, surprised by the anger that suddenly flashed in Terry's eyes. "Did something happen that you didn't know about?"

Terry's arms tightened around Suvi. " _Yes_. Dad had SAM put Mom in stasis before she died. He brought her here to Andromeda."

"He did what?" Suvi stared at Terry in shock, and then over at SAM's router again. "Is it true?"

SAM answered while Terry shook in Suvi's arms. "Yes, Dr. Anwar. Ellen is in a stasis pod on the Hyperion. Terry has only told her brother and now you the truth."

"Mom had accepted her death, but Dad couldn't," Terry added, still trembling a little. "He dragged her all the way out here in hopes of a cure, and then he went and _died_ on her!"

Suvi gently pressed her forehead to Terry's. "No one could have predicted what happened, Terry. You told me yourself he had to pick between the two of you. I'm sure, if it'd been possible, he'd have found a way for you both to survive."

"What gets me is that, if we ever manage to find a cure for Mom, she'll never see Andromeda in color," Terry murmured a few tears escaping down her cheeks.

Suvi gently kissed the tears away. "You'll just have to describe the colors for her, then."

"I will." Terry kissed Suvi properly and neither of them did much talking after that.

*

"SAM? Tempest?" Terry's voice sounded strained on the comms. "What's going on?"

Suvi's hands shook on the console as the colors began to fade. Instead of panicking, she asked, "Pathfinder, what's happening?" Kallo and the others had stopped their work at Terry's question and now looked at Suvi. Her hands balled into fists in her lap when she only saw gray again. The simmering tension grew when they received no answer. "SAM?"

"We have no connection to SAM." Kallo informed them. "Or communication with the others. Whatever interrupted it must have--"

"Killed Terry." Suvi took several deep breaths. "I've lost colors again."

Gil's voice interjected over the comms. "I should be able to get our comms working."

"Do it!" Cora ordered, hurrying onto the bridge. "We need to know what happened to Terry, Jaal, and Drack."

While Gil and Kallo worked together to restore communications, the rest of the crew filtered onto the bridge. Suvi couldn't stop a gasp when colors flooded her sight once more, relieved tears trickling down her cheeks. "I'm seeing colors again."

"I hope you have it this time, Gil." Kallo gave Suvi a sympathetic look.

He ignored the jab for once and only said, "Try it now."

"Pathfinder? Come on!" Kallo sounded the most desperate that Suvi had ever heard.

More tears slipped down Suvi's cheeks when Terry said, "We're here, Tempest."

"I got her!" Kallo exclaimed, sitting up straight. "I got-- hey!"

Suvi ignored etiquette and toggled the comm for herself, "Terry, we lost our comms and contact with SAM."

"I know." Terry's voice sounded hoarse and strained now that Suvi was listening for it. "The Archon's been planning this since his flagship. He used me."

"Lexi should have a look at Terry once she's back aboard," Jaal interjected, his smooth voice strained. "She needs treatment for.. something."

Suvi scrubbed at her eyes with the heels of her palms. "Shite! Shite!"

"Not my fault this time," Terry replied, sounding tired. "Blame the Archon."

Kallo had been busy with his console now that they had communications again. He informed them that the kett were on the move. "They must be headed to Meridian," Suvi reported, blinking repeatedly so she could see what she was doing. "It's the same heading we received before everything cut out."

"We have to stop him," Terry sounded determined despite her weariness. "If he takes Meridian, he'll destroy worlds. Starting with Eos. He thinks he's won."

Reluctantly, Suvi told her, "Terry? It kind of feels like he has."

*

"You desperately need sleep, Terry," Lexi informed her after scanning her in the medbay.

Terry gave her a dry look. "I could use a long nap, but I don't have the time for it."

"I know." Lexi sighed deeply. "Just, go to your quarters and get as much rest as you can."

Nodding, Terry turned and left the medbay. She wasn't surprised to find Suvi waiting for her, already dressed for sleep. "Hey."

"Terry!" Suvi closed the distance between them and flung her arms around Terry. "It was worse this time. The colors _faded_."

Despite the way her body protested, Terry held Suvi close, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. "Not my choice this time."

"I know." Suvi drew back enough to kiss Terry softly, and then started urging her towards the bed. "Lexi told me you need rest."

Making a face, Terry resisted long enough to strip down to her shirt and pants. "Yeah, I could sleep for another 600 years."

"You have such a way with words." Suvi told her as they climbed into bed and held each other close. "I mean, you made me want to go charging into battle. Me!"

Terry laughed softly, remembering their first proper conversation. "I'll still teach you how to defend yourself. After we kick the Archon's ass."

Smiling, Suvi gently stroked Terry's cheek. "The science team is keeping me updated on any breakthroughs they make that might help. I know what you just went through. And this... this is going to take more from you."

"Yeah. Yeah, it did." She'd never promised Suvi the truth like she had Freddy, but she knew Suvi would appreciate it.

Cupping Terry's cheek, her expression turning urgent, Suvi said, "I need to know that you'll be okay. That you're going to come back."

"As long as I have you to come back to." Terry gently cupped Suvi's cheek in return.

Suvi smiled, turning her head to kiss Terry's palm. "You know you do."

"Then I'll be home soon," Terry told her, pressing her forehead against Suvi's.

Her voice quiet as they held each other, Suvi told her, "Losing colors temporarily is bad enough. I don't want to lose them permanently."

"I know." Terry gently tilted Suvi's chin up for a soft kiss.

They just laid there and held each other, trading kisses until it was time to go to the bridge. "I love you, Terry."

"I love you, too, Suvi."

*

Once Terry made her way inside with Jaal and Drack at her back, Kallo landed the Tempest as close to the entrance as he could manage. Cora, Liam, Vetra, and Peebee wasted no time charging down the ramp and taking out any kett who approached the area. Suvi kept her focus on her console, following the course of the battle. All the time Terry had spent establishing outposts, finding the other Pathfinders, and forging stronger ties amongst the various groups in the cluster proved to be time well spent. Everyone united to fight the kett and give Terry the time and support she needed to stop the Archon, permanently. "Pathfinder, Meridian is online."

"It's good to hear your voice, SAM." Suvi told him, setting her console to record as much as it could of the changes in the sphere. "Welcome back to the Tempest."

She wondered if she imagined a change in his voice when he said, "It's good to be back."

Shaking her head at the thought, Suvi left her seat and joined the crowd forming around the entrance to the structure. While she waited, she kept an eye on the news from across the cluster on her omnitool. When Terry appeared, supporting a man who could only be her brother, Freddy, Suvi couldn't contain herself. "Terry! I'm getting insane readings from all over the cluster. What you've done here is... it's just amazing!"

"Put the omni-tool down, Suvi. You can look at that later." She barely heard Terry, let alone see that Lexi had arrived to take charge of Freddy.

"Look at all this data. The energy spikes from the biogenesis alone are--" she faltered when Terry pressed a finger to her lips, looking at her questioningly. "... mind-boggling?"

Smiling tenderly as she moved her hand to cup the back of Suvi's neck, Terry said, "I know I can't compete with your first love, but..." With that, Terry kissed Suvi, soft and sweet. Pressing their foreheads together, she whispered, "I love you, Suvi."

"I love you, too, Terry."

After a few moments, Reyes Vidal reminded them, "You two do realize that all of this is being recorded, right?"

"I-- What?" Suvi jerked back in surprise, her cheeks suddenly very warm.

Terry grinned, amused, and started towards Lexi, only to stumble after the first few steps. Suvi and Reyes caught her and helped her reach Lexi and the strange man. "Hey, Lexi."

"Took you long enough to get over here." Lexi gave Terry a stern look and pointed to the crate next to the man. "Have a seat."

Suvi and Reyes helped Terry sit. "You know me, Lexi: have to make a big deal out of everything and all that."

"This deserves a big fuss," Freddy told her, waving a hand at the plant life around them. "Because of you, the Initiative will not only survive here, but thrive."

Terry made a face at him. "You've been watching the promo vids a little too much, Freddy."

"I didn't have much else to watch, stuck in the medbay all this time." Freddy reached over and clasped Terry's hand with his. "I'm proud of you, Terry."

She smiled at her twin, tears shining in her eyes. "Thanks, Freddy."

"Now that you've achieved the impossible, I want you two to _rest_ for the next several weeks," Lexi told them sternly, having scanned them both and studied the results closely. "Now that Andromeda will be a proper home, you can slow down and let others do their jobs."

Terry gave a huge yawn in the midst of grumbling at Lexi's order. "Yes, fine. A nap sounds really good right now."

"Makes two of us," Freddy agreed with a yawn of his own.

A shuttle landed a short distance away and Dr. Henry Carlyle hopped out, hurrying over. His stern expression matched Lexi's. "Out of the medbay less than a week and you overdo it."

"Not my choice," Freddy reminded the doctor as he and Terry carefully got to their feet. Suvi slipped her arm around Terry's waist to support her as she walked. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Reyes do the same for Freddy.

Once they were all aboard, the shuttle took off, flying them to the Hyperion. Suvi smiled when she felt Terry lean against her with a soft sigh of contentment and murmur, "We made it."

**Author's Note:**

> If you're curious about what Terry looks like, [here](https://66.media.tumblr.com/c52adabc340bdc8b5367c2c3355306e2/tumblr_inline_phbskgQTQx1rujpgk_1280.png) you go.


End file.
